WebNews                                               January 27, 2015 |  Vol 1, Issue 1
ON THE CALENDAR
NEWS in PHOTOS
COMBATING URBAN BLIGHT

CTG Partners with Upstate New York Cities to Combat Urban Blight

 

The cities of Amsterdam, Gloversville, Schenectady, and Troy recently received a $558,002 New York Department of State Local Government Efficiency Grant to partner with CTG in developing a pilot program in these four capitol region cities to combat urban blight through an innovative information sharing initiative.

 

This pilot project will allow for critical information sharing of code enforcement related data so that communities can make more informed decisions and take proactive steps to combat blight. This program could provide the long-term basis for a state-wide strategy to better share data and develop best practices for this major issue. In the process, each of these participating communities will be able to increase the efficiency and effectiveness of their own code enforcement operations. CTG will begin working with the four cities this year and continue for two years.

 


 

NEW REPORT

 

CTG publishes Enabling Open Government for All: A Roadmap for Public Libraries

A new report from CTG addresses growing questions about how "open government" is influencing, and possibly transforming, the role of public libraries in their communities. The report, Enabling Open Government for All: A Roadmap for Public Libraries, concludes a year-long project supported by an independent federal agency, the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), through a 2013 Laura Bush 21st Century Librarian Program (LB21) grant. It brought together thought leaders from government, academia, and civil society.

 

Based on research conducted by CTG and expert consultations with the advisory committee and other participating thought leaders, it offers six recommendations for public libraries to help them best contribute to and influence the opening of government within their communities. In addition, the report provides two resources to support the implementation of these recommendations and help public libraries to build an open government agenda.

 


 

STAFF NEWS
Pardo Headshot

Theresa Pardo Named to U.S. EPA's National Advisory Committee

 

Theresa A. Pardo, Ph.D. has been appointed to a two-year term as a member of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) National Advisory Committee (NAC). The U.S. NAC advises the U.S. Representative (the Administrator of the EPA) to the Commission for Environmental Cooperation on specific U.S. government policy issues related to the implementation of the North American Agreement on Environmental Cooperation. 


The Committee is responsible for providing recommendations to help assure that business and industry, academia, and non-governmental organizations are represented in the development of U.S. policy positions regarding implementation of the Environmental Supplemental Agreements to the North American Free Trade Agreement. The Committee meets several times a year to discuss, draft, and publish a set of recommendations to inform policy decisions.

 

 

EMPOWERING YOUTH VOICES

As part of the implementation of New York's National Youth in Transition Database (NYTD), CTG created an innovative Peer Caller Program to establish a direct connection between NYTD youth and their peers. The Peer Caller Program trains participating UAlbany students and OCFS student assistants in how to help keep foster care youth engaged in the NYTD program through consistent outreach and relationship building.